LABOUR NOTES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 113, 8 November 1913, Page 12

LABOUR NOTES

(By "Unionist.") POLITICAL ACTION. Recently the Lafibur Party at Homo made the following appeal to trade unionists to support the political sido of the movement: — . "In a few weeks, many trade unions will take a ballot of members on the supromely important question of political action, and it was, tnorefore, necessary that a lead should be forthcoming from the Trade Union Congress. A lead, strong, sane, emphatic, has been issued to the rank-and-file, only three delegates in the largest Congress evor called together holding up hands against the joining togethor of industrial and political power. Thai, is the right way; indeed, the only way to aohiove victory. "To fight our industrial battlee, while neglecting the political side, is like trymg to hold a Wolf .by the ears. In these days, trade unionists are sometimes urged to ignore politics, but if they follow this foolish and short-eighted counsel, they will put a rod in pickle for themselves. Workers may at their peril turn thoir backs upon. Parliament, but Parliament assuredly will not turn its baok upon them. Parliament regulates at many points the conditions of thoir omploymont, and employers and landowners do not spond hundreds of thousands of pound* on tho retention of political power without tv definite purpose. The influence of Parliament reaches to workpeople in factories, workshops, mines, and railways, as well as in their home«. There is no escaping it, try we never $o^ hard. Tho hours and wage© of increasing numbers of wage-earners will bo affected by legislativo enactment. Parliament affirms a standard of safety and sanitary conditions. Parliament decides what amount of compensation shalL be paid to the injured workman, what amount of pension to the old workman. In. sickness and health, at work or play, in strikes and lock-oute, tho workers are governed by law, and they are living in a fool's paradise if they imagine there will be no difference in the scope and character of tho laws made by "their masters and by their orai representatives. To voto against a Parliamentary levy, and by this means to leave the shaping of legislation in tho hands of those ■who think and privately speak of the toiling millions as 'the lowor orders,' 'the ignorant mob,' 'the great unwashed,' • would be, indoed, a penny-wise-pound-foolish policy. True, tho employers at elections render lipservice to democracy and commend the workers for their patience — the patience of the labouring ox. But the intelligent workman of to-day wants more' solid pudding and less empty praise. Nor is. he blind to the fact that, election blarney apart, tho true attitude of Capital toward Labour rightly struggling tci bo freo reveals itself in the policy of the Dublin employers, who, after calmly witnessing the_ head-smashing and imprisonment of strikers, have decided on a general lockout in tho hope that the hunger of children and tho famine of wives may bring the men to a humbler frame of mind." For all New South Wales, excepting the Barrier and Metropolitan districts, a wages board award has been gazetted, covering the employees of all municipal and shire councils in the State. lloutb of labojur are not to exceed A 8 per week in any case excepting watohmen. Wages include the following: — Employees driving sanitary cart, the property of the coUnoil, one horse, £3 per week, and 6d per day for each additional horse; labourers, providing horse, cart, and harness, £3 19s per week; casual, 14s a day; employees driving horse and cart (other than sanitary cart), one horse, £2 15s, and 6d pec day for each additional horse; caßUa], 9s 6d per day, and 6d for each additional horse; sanitary labourers, £3; " foremen, £3 15s; overseer, £4; gangers, £3 ss; labourers, £2 15s per week; casual, 9s 6d per day; tar-pavers, Is 3d per hour; bridge oarpenters* labourers, Is 3fd ; other labourers, Is 3d and Is 3fd per hour; gardeners, £3 5s weekly. In delivering the award in £he enginedrivers' case in the Federal Arbitration Court last week, and referring to the crossing trade nature of engined rivers' work, Judge Higgins said: — "It was to be distinctly understood that an award of this sort, crossing the lines of so many classes and undertakings, should be regarded as a special privilege entailing special obligations. Members of claimant organisation could not hold their award and join in a strike too. Thoy were placed in a position resembling that of a foreman and officials bound to help the employer in carrying on his business, doing their own duty as required, and leaving miners and employers in other respects to their own devices. The position was new for a unionist, but it had to be accepted, and all reasonable men would recognise it as a right position. He* was. glad to t say that claimant organisation, speaking through Mr. Mitchell, had undertaken that ite members would pursue their usual duties in any such contingency." An award covering wharf storemen throughout New South Wales has been issued as tho result of an application by tho Storemen's Union. It has a currency of three' years, _ and grants preference to unionists, conditionally. Among its provisions are the following : — Hours, 46£ per w6ek j wages, £2 12s od per week ; casual, Is 6d per hour ; overtime, 2s 3d per hour. Sir George Davies, Liberal member of tho Tasmanian Legislative Assembly, is critically ill,' ( and is not expected, if ho recovers, to be able to continue his Parliamentary duties. A by-eleotion for Denisqn is considered to be almost certain to result in a Labour victory, which would give each party 15 members, when a general election would be unavoidable. Mr. G. H. Knibbs, Commonwealth Statistician, has issued figures whioh show, in comparison, the increases in wages in the Stateß of the Commonwealth, and the advanced cost of living. For compari, son, Mr. Knibbs takes the year 1901, and places against it the figures for last year. The following table is interesting: — Rise in Rise in wages/ goods. ' States. Capital Cities. per per , cent. cent. New South Wales ... 23.4- 28.5 Victoria - 30.4 21.1 Queensland • 12.2 27.0 South Australia ... 27.9 33.8 West Australia ... 13.3 12.6 Tasmania 29.9 19.5 Average ... •. 23.9 25.1 From the above table it will be noticed that the advance in wages has exceeded the decreased purchasing power of the sovereign jn Victoria, Tasmania, and West Australia, while in the remaining three States the convorso rules. A correspondent to the New York Call writes: — "I went.tohear Tom Mann address the Pafcerson silk workers. As one who played a minor rolo in tho strike--just a man in tho ranks — I was naturally interested. I wanted to know the English methods *and how they might be applied to Paterson. Were we told anything new? No. In ono part of Mann's speech wo wero informed that wo should strike as often as wo saw a chanco, hit the capitalist all tho time, and then we would bo invincible. So far Mann was no different from the speakers who addressed us throughout the 6triko. But what did wo hear next?" Something like this: "I don't believe in elocting mon to represent you in the councils of the Legislatures. I donit believe in tho ballot. It novor did any good.", At first some of us wore astonished a* these remarks. Was this a sample of British stupidity or impudenco? Don't voto working men to public office, it is bad; but koep on electing the Macßridoe, tho Bimsons, tho Radcbffos, tho Dunns, etc. Havo a couple of thousand strikers in gaol for daring to walk tho streets. Havo thoir heads/clubbed in, havo their women brutaly insulted and beaten. Have a lawyer's bill of more than £800 to payall because wo did not control such publio offices as tho Sheriffalty^ >>f Passaio County and the Mayoralty* of Paterson. Readers can well understand why a Paterson striker is bitter and sore, and I tru«t thoy will axcuso me for stating that Tom Mann bears tho wrong name— Tom Fool fit* him bettor.